Jnan Taranga

<p>One of the distinctive and learner friendly characteristics of Open Distance Learning (ODL) is that &lsquo;you learn while you earn&rsquo;. Similarly the greatest advantage of radio is that &lsquo;you can listen when you work&rsquo;. The Krishna KantaHandiqui State Open University, with its ultimate aim to create a knowledge based by bringing the deprived and marginalised to its foldthough ODL decided that community radio would be another important mode of communication to reach them and provide them an equal platform, otherwise ignored by the mainstream media.</p>

<p>Krishna KantaHandiqui State Open University is the only State Open University of the entire north -east. In order to reach the unreached and provide a common platform to the marginalised sections of the society, the university took the first initiative to launch the first community radio service of the region. This was a novel idea in the sense that the media somehow remain as one way medium of communication. With the motto of providing voice to the voiceless, KKHSOU launched the Community radio station christened as Jnan Taranga.&nbsp;</p>

Languages of Broadcast: The primary language is Assamese. The station also broadcasts a few programmes in Hindi, English, Bengali, Boro, Nepali and Karbi serving different communities in the coverage area.

Name of the Programme

Format

Description

Samadhan

Discussion

Activists in Human Resource Development provide solutions for community based problems. Evening Show.

Baraniyo

Interviews

Interviews of prominent personalities are broadcast. Evening show, also repeated.

<p>Signature Programme &lsquo;Eklavya&rsquo; is a popular programme of Jnan Taranga which comprises discussions with prominent personalities on burning issues of the state or country. It is aired by AIR Guwahati and Dibrugarh simultaneously. An hour live programme &lsquo;ManarKhabar&rsquo; is aired regularly where the community people directly call the radio station and share their problems and experiences. There is also a series of regular Live community programmes from the field. Besides this, live programmes from community like ManarKhabar, Samadhan, Samprotikietc are popular programmes. Community Participation The broadcast schedule of Jnan Taranga mainly consists of community based programmes on health, sports, career, science, women&rsquo;s issues, issuesonhumanvalues,Gandhianwayoflife,genderissues,urbanisation, environmental issues and children, agriculture, horticulture, etc. It has also been broadcasting various TB features which include information about the disease alongwith interviews with some noted physicians to spread TB awareness among the local communities of the state under the programme&lsquo;SasthyaCharcha&rsquo;. The community radio service has always attempted to promote scientific temperament of the local people. It has a regular programme on science named &lsquo;BigyanBarta&rsquo;. News and current affairs are included in the programme&lsquo;Sampratiki&rsquo;. A serial on Gandhiji&rsquo;s My Experiments with Truth, as well as radio transcription on some acclaimed works of eminent writers are broadcast in the programmes &lsquo;JibonorAliePadulie&rsquo; and &lsquo;Nirabadhi&rsquo; respectively. Educational programmes on different subjects of the university&rsquo;s curriculum are broadcast regularly. Keeping in view about the different sections of the society, youth oriented programme&lsquo;Yuva Taranga&rsquo; and &lsquo;SishuTirtha&rsquo; for children are broadcast. Live from community is a programme where volunteers have face to face communication with community people.</p>